Dozens of people living in a Concord apartment building are looking for a new place to live after being ordered to vacate their home.

Dozens of people living in a Concord apartment building are looking for a new place to live after being ordered to vacate their home.

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Updated: 7:10 AM EDT Aug 8, 2014

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WEBVTT SO HOW SERIOUS ARE THE SAFETY RISKS INSIDE? LET'S GO TO STEPHANIE WOODS. THANK YOU, TOM. CONCORD POLICE SERVED THIS ORDER TO RESIDENTS OF 22 UNITS IN THE VEGAS BUILDING, AS IT'S CALLED, TODAY IN CONCORD. VACATE BY NOON FRIDAY OR FACE A MISDEMEANOR CHARGE. CITY OFFICIALS SAY ISSUES LIKE BROKEN SPRINKLER SYSTEMS AND BED BUGS MAKE THIS BUILDING UNSAFE TO LIVE IN. BUT RESIDENTS SAY IT'S UNFAIR TO BE FORCED OUT. WE HAVE UNTIL NOON TOMORROW TO GET EVERYTHING OUT AND WHATEVER IS LEFT HERE AFTER NOON IS GETTING THROWN OUT. AND IF ANYONE IS IN THE BUILDING AFTER NOON TOMORROW, THEY'RE GETTING ARRESTED. SHE'S LIVED IN THIS APARTMENT BUILDING FOR SIX MONTHS. HUTCHINS SAYS A POLICE OFFICER TOLD HER THURSDAY AFTERNOON THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO MOVE OUT BY NOON FRIDAY. I'M PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TO GO DOWN BY THE RAILROAD TRACKS WITH ALL THE OTHER HOMELESS PEOPLE, I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T EVEN HAVE A TENT. WE REALIZE THAT THIS IS A STRESSFUL WEIGHINGS FOR ALL PARTIES, PARTICULARLY THE OCCUPANTS OF THE BUILDING. SO WE AT LEAST WANT TO PROVIDE THEM WITH A LIST OF ALTERNATE RESOURCES WHERE THEY COULD HOPEFULLY LOOK TO FINE HOUSING IN THE SHORT TERM. THE CITY IS WARNING LOCAL SHELTERS THEY MAY HAVE AN INFLUX OF PEOPLE, BETWEEN 30 AND 50 PEOPLE ARE BEING DISPLACED. CITY AND STATE OFFICIALS SAY THEY HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO SHUT IT DOWN. I JUST WANT TO STRESS THAT THIS IS TRULY A LIFE SAFETY ISSUE, SO KNITS THE BEST INTEREST OF THE OCCUPANTS, WE REALLY DON'T WANT TO HAVE A CATASTROPHE OF ANY KIND. A NEW PROPERTY OWNER ASKED THE CITY TO REVIEW THE BUILDING IN JULY. THEY INSPECTED IT WEDNESDAY AND FOUND SERIOUS FIRE HAZARD THROUGHING A DEFUNCT SPRINKLER SYSTEM, BROKEN SMOKE ALARMS AND MISSING WALLS. CONCORD FIRE DEPARTMENT IS ON A 24-7 FIRE WATCH, BUT NOT INSIDE DUE TO OTHER SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES. INSPECTORS FOUND COCKROACH NESTS, BED BUG INFESTATION, AND SHATTERED BOARDS AND WINDOWS. DESPITE THE RISK, SOME RESIDENTS WISH THEY HAD MORE TIME TO GET BACK ON THEIR FEET AND SAVE THEIR BELONGINGS. THERE'S QUITE A FEW PEOPLE WHO CAN'T GET THEIR STUFF OUT, SO THEY'RE GOING TO LOSE EVERYTHING THEY HAVE. NOT ONLY GOING TO BE HOMELESS, BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ANYTHING TO THEIR NAME. THE MANAGER TELLS US THE CITY IS NOT CONDEMNING THE BUILDING YET. HE SAYS HE HOPES THE CURRENT OWNER WILL FIX THE SAFETY AND HEALTH HAZARDS AND WELCOME NEW TENANTS TO HIS BUILDING SOON.

Concord building to be shut down

Dozens of people living in a Concord apartment building are looking for a new place to live after being ordered to vacate their home.